Mumbai: The Samta Nagar police on Thursday lodged a first information report (FIR) against contractors appointed by Lodha Developers after a portion of the compound wall of White City building in Kandivli’s Lokhandwala complex was pulled down, allegedly without authorisation or intimation to residents.
Representatives of Lodha Developers claimed the demolition was undertaken as per directives from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), to leave mandatory space between the building and Akurli Road, which is being widened. But residents alleged their space was being usurped for making space for the road.
The building, initially developed by Rajesh Life Spaces Pvt Ltd, was completed by Lodha Developers under a joint venture. It received the occupation certificate in November 2022, and the housing society was formed in January 2025; the society is yet to receive its conveyance deed.
According to residents of the building, on Thursday morning, they spotted three JCB tearing down portions of their compound wall. The Lodha Woods project is located next to the building.
“When the JCB driver continued with razing the compound wall despite pleas from residents, the residents broke the glass panes of the vehicle and took away its keys,” ” alleged Pradeep Jain, treasurer of the building which has 489 apartments.
In the melee, one resident fell down, which further infuriated other residents, Jain claimed. A large number of residents descended from their flats, shouted slogans against the developer, and later marched to the police station to lodge a complaint, he said.
“We had already sent a notice to the developer,” Jain told HT. “Now, we plan to file a civil suit in the matter,”
Social activist Nitin Jha, who lives in the area, said razing portions of the boundary wall amounted to criminal trespass, since no prior permission had been taken by Lodha Developers from the residents.
A spokesperson of Lodha Developers said, “The work being carried out is statutory in nature and is aligned with the approved demarcation and infrastructure plan. It is essential to ensure safety standards and road accessibility. We had respectfully requested the residents to extend their cooperation so that the required compliance work can be completed without disruption. Despite this, a few individuals took law and order in their hands and attacked a worker. We have requested the law enforcement agencies to look into the matter.”
Based on the complaint from residents, the Samata Nagar police have booked Vaibhav Bhoir and Ganesh Patil, contractors appointed by Lodha Developers, under sections 324 (5), 352, 351(2) and 125 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS).